Dreams ll Shadeclan
by Blackwing666
Summary: That night the amber eyes and pale star-filled pelt haunted her dreams. Silent meows she felt like she could never figure out. But the amber eyes. They would never leave her mind as she drew breath, ever. They were so.. Sad. Willowpaw keeps seeing the cat haunting her. It's always trying to talk to her but she doesn't know what it is saying but she is determined to figure it out.
1. Allegiances

**Shadeclan**

 **Leader** Juniperstar- lithe blue-gray she-cat with a long scar over her eye

 **Deputy** Talonpelt- dark gray tabby tom with many scars over his pelt

 **Medicine Cats** Whitepetal- beautiful long-haired white she-cat with a gray patch on her hind end

 **Warriors** Cedarfang- large broad-shouldered russet tom with a white chest

Blackwing- long-haired black she-cat with piercing yellow eyes

Squirreltail- russet she-cat with a fluffy tail

Creekdapple- long-haired white-and-gray dappled she-cat

Thistlepelt- spikey-furred gray tom

 **Apprentice** , Cherrypaw

Snakestrike- sleek black-and-white tom

Otterclaw- dark brown tabby tom

 **Apprentice** , Thunderpaw

 **Apprentices** Cherrypaw- russet-and-white she-cat

Thunderpaw- thick-furred golden tabby tom

 **Queens** Foxpool- mostly ginger she-cat with a white tail and a black splotch over her eyes, mother of Talonpelt's kits; Sorrelkit (plump tortoiseshell she-cat with white front paws) and Willowkit ( small long-haired dark gray tabby she-cat with black stripes, white chin, and paws; green eyes)

Milkflower- pretty creamy-white she-cat, mother of Cedarfang's kits; Honeykit (golden-brown tabby-and-white she-cat), Tigerkit (cream-and-brown tabby tom with black stripes), and Berrykit (russet tom with a creamy-white belly)

 **Elders** Windtail- ragged gray-and-white tom

 **Forestclan**

 **Leader** Icestar- ragged long-haired white tom

 **Deputy** Lionfur- proud large golden tom with thick fur

 **Apprentice** , Redpaw

 **Medicine Cat** Lichenfall- aging mottled gray tom

 **Warriors** Sunwhisker- pale ginger tabby tom

Tornear- thin-furred dark gray tom with torn ears

 **Apprentice** , Tansypaw

Swallowwing- small fiery tortoiseshell she-cat

Patchstorm- black-and-white tom

 **Apprentice** , Yarrowpaw

Seedpelt- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Quickstep- silver tabby tom with dark stripes

 **Apprentices** Redpaw- large ginger tabby tom with dark a ginger tail

Tansypaw- thin golden-brown she-cat

Yarrowpaw- dark gray she-cat

 **Queens** Owlfeather- long-haired brown tabby she-cat, mother of Sunwhisker's kit; Leafkit (brown tabby she-cat), Molekit (dark brown tom with a white patch on his flank), and Leopardkit (spotted pale ginger tabby she-cat)

Stormwind- long-haired dark gray she-cat, expecting Quickstep's kits

 **Elders** Mousepad- small dusty brown she-cat

 **Marshclan**

 **Leader** Lakestar- plump gray-and-white tom

 **Deputy** Duckwing- brown tabby tom with green eyes

 **Apprentice** , Loudpaw

 **Medicine Cat** Duskfur- dark brown tabby tom

 **Warriors** Minktooth- skinny dark brown tom

Piketail- spotted gray tabby tom

 **Apprentice** , Coalpaw

Rippledust- short-haired gray tabby she-cat

Brownthroat- spotted pale brown tabby tom

 **Apprentice** , Spotpaw

Nightshine- sleek black she-cat

Frogclaw- long-haired brown and white tabby tom

 **Apprentice** , Turtlepaw

 **Apprentices** Loudpaw- small white tom

Coalpaw- black-and-white tom

Spotpaw- sandy-colored tabby she-cat with white patches

Turtlepaw- tortoiseshell and white she-cat

 **Queens** Thrushcloud- sandy-colored she-cat, expecting Lakestar's kits

Tinybreeze- small white she-cat with black paws, mother of Minktooth's kits; Snowkit (small white tom) and Reedkit (brown-and-black mottled tom)

 **Elders** Fishpelt- spotted gray tabby she-cat

 **Gustclan**

 **Leader** Rabbitstar- brown tom with a missing tail

 **Deputy** Appleshine- dark ginger tabby she-cat

 **Medicine Cat** Graywhisker- long-haired gray tabby she-cat

 **Warriors** Spiderleap- long-legged black tom

Oakbreeze- long-haired brown-and-white she-cat

Whitestream- long-legged white tom

 **Apprentice** , Adderpaw

Runninghare- sleek brown tabby tom

 **Apprentice** , Tallpaw

Flarefur- white-and-ginger tabby she-cat

 **Apprentice** , Lizardpaw

Ashheart- mottled gray tom

 **Apprentices** Adderpaw- sleek pale tabby she-cat

Tallpaw- long-legged thin ginger tom

Lizardpaw- thin black tom with white ears

 **Queens** Pricklepetal- pretty dark ginger she-cat with spikey-fur, mother of Firekit (dark ginger she-cat) and Raggedkit (spikey-furred ginger-and-white tom

Bouncetail- long-legged smokey gray she-cat, expecting Whitestream's kits

 **Elders** Bugwing- long-legged black she-cat with a gray muzzle


	2. Chapter 1

Silent paws-steps took the dark she-cat closer to her target. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she focused. The target was unsuspecting and lazing around in the moss. With a small butt wiggle the long-haired dark gray she-cat sprang. Landing with a plop and a screech from her pray.

"Willowkit!" the "prey" whined.

"You need to be aware of your surroundings, Sorrelkit," Willowkit meowed playfully quoting their father, Talonpelt.

Laughter from the other side of the den sounded in her ears. Sorrelkit glanced towards the watched her sisters eyes fill with tears and her chin wobble as she caught sight of Tigerkit, Berrykit, and Honeykit snickering at them.

Willowkit's fur raised along her back at the group. "Don't you mouse-brains have better things to do!" Willowkit hissed in their direction.

Huffing they all went back to playing. Not caring that they had made Sorrelkit cry. While the two litters were the about same age they never played together. Willowkit was extremely protective of her littermate Sorrelkit. And the three kits were ruefully mean to the plumper tortoiseshell she-kit. Tears were tumbling out of her littermate's eyes.

" Come on, Sorrelkit!" Willowkit mewed trying to draw her mind away from the three kits playing loudly. " Let's go see if we can find Cherrypaw or Thunderpaw"

The two apprentices were always nice to the two kits. Guiding Sorrelkit out of the nursery they came to Shadeclan's shaded camp. Despite the shade of the many pine trees it was warm. There was sun shining in the center of camp and a bit by the apprentices den. A couple warriors littered the ground where the most sun shined through the trees in camp. Their mother, Foxpool, and father, Talonpelt, were among them. Foxpool saw them exit the den and flicked her tail motioning them closer. Willowkit bounded towards them and Sorrelkit slowly followed her tail dragging on the ground below.

"How are my brave kits today?" Talonpelt raspily purring as he noticed Sorrelkits somber mood.

Willowkit glanced at Sorrelkit waiting for her to answer as she batted at Foxpool's tail. Tigerkit, Berrykit, and Honeykit had been badgering Sorrelkit since she was two moons old. She was quite bigger in the belly then all the kits in the nursery. It was like a thorn to the heart for Willowkit every time she saw her sisters eyes fill with tears.

" They are picking on me again.." her voice more quiet than mouse and her eyes glued to her paws.

Talonpelt licked between her ears lovingly "Soon you'll show them. You'll be one of the best apprentices. You and Willowkit!" he seemed to purr even louder to comfort her.

At her name, Willowkit, pounced on her fathers back. Talonpelt played along and gently rolling on his back. Willowkit pressed her paws on her father's chest and meowed with fake anger. Sorrelkit side stepped closer to Foxpool and curled comfortingly against the she-cat's belly fur. They watched with amused eyes at the similar looking father and daughter played. Talonpelt was a fierce looking warrior and deputy but he had a gentleness with the kits. It softened Foxpool's heart every time she saw him with Willowkit and Sorrelkit. These two were their first kits and by the look in Foxpool's eyes she didn't want them to be their last.

Foxpool meowed at the kits to finish the thrush that was laying between her and Talonpelt. Hopping off her father's chest she quickly took two small mouthfuls then left a good chunk for Sorrelkit. After Sorrelkit finished chewing the last of the thrush Cherrypaw and Thunderpaw padded into the camp through the threaded bramble tunnel with jaws clamped full of fresh-kill. They dropped the kill in the pile their eyes filled with joy at their catches. Sorrelkit perked up at the sight of them. Cherrypaw instantly bounded over to them. Ducking her head towards Talonpelt and Foxpool respectfully.

"Foxpool… could I borrow Willowkit and Sorrelkit for a bit?" Cherrypaw asked in a even tone.

"I was going to ask if you could watch them after the ceremony today while I go stretch my legs with Talonpelt," Foxpool purred.

At Sunhigh Tigerkit, Berrykit, and Honeykit would be made apprentices. They were only a half a moon older that Willowkit and Sorrelkit. Annoyance clawed at Willowkit's belly. She wanted to be apprenticed but she had to wait for another half a moon. Clawing at the ground to release the emotion Foxpool noticed and purred while licking her gently.

"You'll be apprenticed soon too. No need to be jealous. Now go play with Cherrypaw and Thunderpaw," She batted her kits closer to Cherrypaw who beamed.

They got up and padded towards the apprentices den following Cherrypaw. Cherrypaw seemed to bounce along as the kits followed her to the old roots of the giant pine. Ferns sprouted in the sun along the ground at the side of the apprentice den where the sun shined brightly. Willowkit couldn't wait til she was old enough to join her friends in this den. Until later today Thunderpaw and Cherrypaw were the only apprentices of Shadeclan. They were already almost halfway through their training meaning they would only share the den for a few moons.

Thunderpaw laid under a rather large thriving fern tearing into a blackbird that he had already plucked the feathers out of. He looked up as they approached and let out a loud throaty purr.

"Have you two filled your bellies yet?" he asked in a deep purr.

"Yes!" The two kits replied and settled sitting side by side tails over their paws. "Foxpool gave us a thrush." Willowkit continued.

"Thrush is my favorite! I wonder if there are any left?" Cherrypaw bounded away to the fresh-kill pile.

When she came back carrying a mouse they knew that the two kits got the last thrush. She didn't let it dampen her mood tho as she dug into the mouse. Once the apprentices finished their food and cleaning their faces all four of them started to play. Willowkit had launched herself at Thunderpaw. He laughed under her as she tried to pin him. Thunderpaw was much more powerful than her for the moment. Willowkit couldn't help but think when she was a apprentice she would be, hopefully, more powerful than Thunderpaw. Cherrypaw and Sorrelpaw batted a ball of moss back and forth as Willowkit and Thunderpaw tumbled over each other. Thunderpaw careful not to hurt the much smaller kit. As they tumbled a lithe looking blue-gray she-cat came out through her den and bounded on top of a long thick broken branch that overhung her den. She looked at her clan most were sharing tongues and a few soaking up the sun that shone brightly in camp. The kits and apprentices were playing. Milkflower a young queen was vigorously washing her kits much to their dismay. With a deep breath she announced loudly.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Brokenbranch for a Clan meeting," Juniperstar watched the cats crowd together as her call echoed around camp.

Once everyone gathered and the kits were settled in front of everyone else. Whitepetal, the medicine cat, was the last to join. Weaving her way out of her stone den and curling her tail around her paws, sitting elegantly.

"One of my favorite ceremonies will be performed today. Shadeclan has been blessed by Starclan for many moons. As we continue to be blessed today. Tigerkit, Berrykit, and Honeykit, you have reached six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on you will be known as Tigerpaw, Berrypaw, and Honeypaw. Tigerpaw your mentor will be Talonpelt. I hope Talonpelt will pass down all he knows on to you are a loyal deputy and are ready for a new apprentice. You are loyal and determined. I expect you to pass all you know to Tigerpaw." Juniperstar meowed cooly and watched as her deputy and the new apprentice touching noses strongly.

Tigerpaw had a glint in his eye as he looked at both Willowkit and Sorrelkit. Willowkit didn't show any sign of emotion but Sorrelkit visibly flinched.

"Berrypaw your mentor will be Creekdapple," A pretty long-haired white she-cat stepped forward. "I hope Creekdapple will pass down all she knows on to you. Creekdapple, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Cedarfang, and you have shown yourself to be fierce and quick. You will be the mentor of Berrypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Berrypaw."

Softly Creekdapple and the young Berrypaw pressed noses together and swept back into the crowd of the clan.

"Honeypaw your mentor will be Snakestrike. I hope Snakestrike will pass down all he knows on to you. Snakestrike, you are ready for your first have received excellent training from Squirreltail, and you have shown yourself to be quick-witted and resourceful. You will be the mentor of Honeypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Honeypaw."

Snakestrike, a sleek black-and-white tom, slunk out from the crowd and hastily pressed his nose to his new apprentices. He didn't look to impressed with his new apprentice. Or maybe he didn't want to be a mentor. Willowkit couldn't really tell. Juniperstar beamed as the Clan started to call the names of the new apprentice.

"TIGERPAW! BERRYPAW! HONEYPAW!"

Someday soon they would be apprentices but for now Willowkit and Sorrelkit had to deal with the gloating they were going to get from Tigerpaw, Berrypaw, and Honeypaw. Especially since Tigerpaw was now their fathers apprentice. She was just waiting for him to rub it into her and her sisters face. Foxpool and Talonpelt dipped their head to Cherrypaw after talking to Tigerpaw and padded out of the bramble entrance of the camp. Foxpool missed hunting and both her kits knew it. She is one of Shadeclan's best hunters and when she found out she was expecting kits the other cats had to pick up the slack. In half a moon she would be back in the warriors den and helping with the clan tasks instead of raising kits.

Willowkit wondered if Milkflower would go back to the warriors den. Milkflower was the mother of Tigerpaw, Berrypaw, and Honeypaw. She sat proudly next to Cedarfang, the apprentice's father, and as they talked to them. Cherrypaw made her way over to the two sisters.

"Do you two want to play some more?" Cherrypaw asked cheerfully.

She always seemed to always be cheerful in any circumstance. Willowkit looked over at her sister and saw her looking down at her paws. Looking rather defeated with her tail on the floor of the camp and one of her white front paw drawing random things in the dusty camp soil.

"Cherrypaw I think Sorrelkit is tired. We are just going to go take a nap in the nursery," Willowkit said not taking her eyes off the patterns Sorrelkit was drawing.

Suddenly she looked up at Cherrypaw and grinned her eyes shining. "Tomorrow maybe? If you are not to busy with training that is."

She looked dejected at first til Willowkit spoke. "Of course!"

Willowkit wrapped her tail around her sister's back leading her to the nursery. Where their small pelts disappeared under the winding roots of the entrance.

Later that night after Foxpool came back to the nursery and curled up next to them. Sorrelkit still clinging to the sadness from earlier in the day sniffled in her sleep. Willowkit lay awake gazing into the darkness. 'Only half a moon' her mind echoed. Foxpool's tail swept them closer to her belly. The fluffy white fur brushed her own long gray tabby fur. Sorrelkit pressed her closer to mothers belly fur for comfort as she sniffled. Poking out from under her mother's tail Willowkit glanced across the den and saw the outline of Milkflower and heard her soft snores. At the entrance of the nursery moonlight poured in around the bramble that lined the root system. She stared at the light and would have sworn on all the fresh-kill in the fresh-kill pile a outline of a star-filled outline of a cat sat in the entrance.

And was looking right at her. She was frozen in her nest staring pale outline of a cat not even knowing it was real. Until it moved. As it took pawsteps towards her the outline faded. Halfway towards her all she could see were deep amber eyes on a somber looking face. Its mouth opened and mouthed words but no sounds came and suddenly it faded with the moonlight. Willowkit scrambled out of her nest looking for the pale anguished looking star-filled cat. But nothing was in the den besides her kin and Milkflower. Shaking her head she climbed back into the nest and wrapped her tail over her eyes before drifting to sleep uncomfortably.

That night the amber eyes and pale star-filled pelt haunted her dreams. Silent meows she felt like she could never figure out. But the amber eyes. They would never leave her mind as she drew breath, ever. They were so.. Sad.


	3. Chapter 2

Willowkit woke with a jolt, it had already almost been half a moon. All it did was drag by with endless boring days that were filled with Tigerpaw and Berrypaw boasting. Honeypaw seemed oddly quiet Willowkit hoped she was just focused on her training. Or just ignoring them cause they were kits as long as she continued to ignore them. At least ignore Sorrelkit she seemed a little happier. She even wanted to play more, tossing around a moss ball with Willowkit for a while before settling down with Foxpool for a sunhigh nap.

Willowkit was on edge since she saw, or thought she saw, the amber eyed star-filled cat. She couldn't get it out of her mind. When she wasn't playing with Sorrelkit she tried practicing her stalking under the careful eyes of her friends Cherrypaw and Thunderpaw. Thunderpaw correcting her when he saw fit.

Juniperstar watched the kit from the shadow of her den who was already trying to be an apprentice. The blue-gray she-cat was intrigued by the kit. She had never seen a kit with so much drive for learning. Willowkit seemed to surprise her at every turn. Most kits just wanted to play while Willowkit seemed focused on being an apprentice before she was even one. She had the heart of even a senior warrior, with much more to learn that is. With the right guidance she could have all of Starclan in her paws. Whitepetal glided up to her on the quietest of paws. She was the only cat in the clan that could sneak up on the young leader.

"Whitepetal, what did I tell you about not making noise before you walk up on me?" the blue-gray leader meowed after she jumped at the white cats appearance.

"To not too," She purred amusingly and flicked the young leader with her tail. "I was never good at listening."

"She's going to be a great apprentice," Juniperstar said directing Whitepetal's line of sight with her nose.

Whitepetal looked out at the young Willowkit who was practice stalking a imaginary mouse. Her stance was already pretty well. Thunderpaw pushed her into a slightly better stance and let her stalk forward and to spring on the imaginary mouse.

"With the right guidance," Whitepetal said echoing the thoughts in Juniperstar's mind. "Who are you going to make her mentor?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," Juniperstar meowed to her.

"Why do you always try to be mysterious? It gets kind of old," Whitepetal said as she walked back to her stone den.

Juniperstar scoffed as she wound her way around the stones and disappeared in her den. She went back to watching the kit. In one more sunhigh Willowkit and Sorrelkit would be apprentices. Willowkit needed a perfect balance and Sorrelkit need a strong and kind mentor. She knew exactly who should mentor both. She slunk back into her den her eyes glinting with pride.

She was restless again lying wide-awake in her nest. Willowkit knew this sunhigh she would be made an apprentice. Everything she wanted but now the thing she thought about the most was the mysterious figure. It hadn't appeared again but she kept dreaming of the figures silent screeching. What was it trying to tell her?

She sighed deeply rolling on to her back and batted at her tail restlessly. Sorrelkit let out a snuffling snore and curled deeper into a ball. Foxpool's soft breathing and Milkflower's snoring sounded in her ears and suddenly she felt her pelt prickle like she was being watched and quickly flipped over seeing and looking towards the entrance again. The outline was faint but she could clearly see the deep sad amber eyes again. Willowkit, less scared this time, stood and slowly padded a little closer to it. The outline shuttered, disappearing and reappearing, like Willowkit was blinking rapidly. The sad looking cat was again silently trying to say something to her but she couldn't make out. Until suddenly it blinked out without appearing again. Willowkit scrambled to where it had been standing and gazed up at the slivers of moonlight shining through the entrance. Nothing there was nothing. Sighing sadly she padded over to the shared nest and once again curled up and wrapped her tail over her eyes and tried to sleep.

She woke to Foxpool cleaning Sorrelkit vigorously. Her short fur was easy to clean just like Foxpool's. Willowkit's on the other hand took longer to clean out and rarely stayed clean for long.

"You're finally awake! I thought you were going to sleep right up til our apprentice ceremony!" Sorrelkit meowed around Foxpool who was cleaning her face.

Willowkit let out a 'hhhmmpp' in reply yet again she didn't sleep very well. Dreams plagued with the mysterious cat. Sorrelkit purred a loud thanks to her mother as she finished cleaning her.

"Now no playing it is almost time for you ceremony and I don't want to have to clean you again. Sit there while I clean Willowkit," Foxpool meowed and caught Willowkit by the scruff as she tried to hide deeper in their bedding to escape from her.

She cleaned out the moss and tangles from her tossing and turning with the few winks of sleep she got. Fluffing out her hair a bit to make her seem bigger. It took awhile and a bit of fighting from Willowkit but Foxpool finally got her clean. She pushed them side by side. Sorrelkit was beaming but Willowkit's head was sagging on her shoulders and her eyes only half open.

"My beautiful daughters! How you have grown. I can't wait for you to learn all you can from your new mentors," Foxpool meowed with tears glistening her eyes. "Now look bright now. Any second Juniperstar will make the announcement."

The two she-cats sat shuffling on their paws for a long time. Sorrelkit trying with all her might not to flop down on the ground. She didn't want to risk her mothers wrath for her own comfort.

"You excited?" Willowkit whispered her eyes still half lidded.

"More nervous than excited. Did you not sleep much?" She asked worried for her sister's well being.

"No. Couldn't sleep." Willowkit said laying her head on her sisters side to keep it up. "But at least we get to be apprentices now." She tried to sound as excited and determined she had been for the past two moons but she couldn't muster the energy.

Willowkit desperately needed sleep in a place no moonlight would shine so she could stop thinking about the haunting cat that was disturbing her sleep and her mind. Eventually she would just drop from exhaustion. Sorrelkit buried her nose in her sisters deep fur breathing in her scent. They stayed like that for a long time reflecting on their last time in the nursery again. At least they would always be together. Willowpaw would make sure of that. With every muscle in her body she would make sure they always together in every aspect of their life.

It felt like hours but it was actually only a few long heartbeats until the loud cool voice of Juniperstar sounded around camp. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Brokenbranch for a Clan meeting."

Sliding out of the den behind their mother they moved swiftly to the Brokenbranch. Juniperstar watching them closely her eyes shining with even more pride than normal. Or maybe it was just Willowkit's eyes tricking her again. Sorrelkit and Willowkit sat at the bottom of Brokenbranch with Juniperstar perched above them. The clan swarmed them happily, well most of them. Tigerpaw and Berrypaw sat the furthest they could that could still be deemed respectful. Honeypaw sat next to Snakestrike her head sagging on her shoulders casting her mentor careful looks. In the front and the most visible were their parents and the other two apprentices, Thunderpaw and Cherrypaw, beaming at the two soon to be apprentices.

"Sorrelkit and Willowkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you two to be apprenticed. From this day on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sorrelpaw and Willowpaw."

"Cedarfang, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Shadowstar, and you have shown yourself to be brave and kind. You will be the mentor of Sorrelpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Sorrelpaw."

Cedarfang had already stepped forward and was looming over Sorrelpaw. She shakily stepped forward and pressed her nose to his. He purred and beamed at her. Cedarfang was huge compared to her with broad strong shoulders he looked terrifying. Juniperstar looked at Willowpaw.

"And Willowpaw. I will be your mentor. I will pass on all I know to you."

Willowpaw stared at her amazed as small murmurs started around camp. Juniperstar jumped down from Brokenbranch and landed a few rabbit hops in front of her. She turned and padded up to her before bending her head. Still amazed she out of instinct leaned forward and touched noses with her leader and now mentor.

The Clan despite their amazement at their leader taking on a mentor they started to chant the new apprentices name "SORRELPAW! WILLOWPAW!". Willowpaw couldn't help but notice the lack of Berrypaw and Tigerpaw voices among the calls. Honeypaw had even perked up and started calling the sisters names.

"I have one more announcement for you all. Squirreltail has told me she is expecting kits and will be moving to the nursery tonight. I am very proud that Starclan continues to honor our clan with kits." Juniperstar had dipped her head towards Squirreltail who was next to Thistlepelt.

Willowpaw noted that the two cats had the tips of their tails wrapped together and the she-cat had a slightly larger belly than normal. Bashfully she looked down at her paws the praise from her leader. Thistlepelt looked at Squirreltail with much admiration. From all she could see it was safe to say Thistlepelt is the father of litter Squirreltail was carrying.

Many sent well wishes their way then made their way over to the new apprentices. Willowpaw and Sorrelpaw got many greetings and licks from the cats in the clan. Milkflower licked both the kits on the head and wandered over to Squirreltail to help her set up her new nest in the nursery. She never moved out of the nursery and Willowpaw didn't think she ever would. Willowpaw remembered overhearing Milkflower tell Foxpool she was better off making sure the nursery was well defended and kept tidy and strong than trying to hunt in the forest. While Foxpool was better at hunting Milkflower was better a the up keep of the dens in camp. She didn't just rewind the bracken in the nursery. She also did the leaders, medicine cats, apprentices, and elders den when needed especially if she wasn't expecting kits. She also make sure the entrance of the den was always snug and well hidden.

After what seemed like endless talking to almost every cat in the clan Juniperstar finally approached her as the sky started to fade into orange and purple colors mixing with the blue. Her expression was soft as she say how tired both of the kits looked and she let out a small purr. "Tomorrow your training starts. Cherrypaw and Honeypaw have gratefully got out and gathered moss for you two and made nests for you in the den. So why don't you get some fresh-kill and make your way to sleep? I want you both well rested for the tour of the territory tomorrow."

Both apprentices nodded at their leader and slowly made their way to their new den. They went to the fresh-kill pile and each picked out a mouse. Honeypaw was the only one awake standing outside the den she nervously shifted from paw to paw as Willowpaw and Sorrelpaw approached.

"Hi," She meowed softly barely meeting their gaze.

Willowpaw looked the long-legged golden-brown tabby she-cat up and down before switching her gaze to Sorrelpaw. Her eyes were wide as she looked at Honeypaw.

"Look I'm sorry for the way I acted as a kit. You didn't deserve it my mouse brained brothers influenced me into it. I was wondering if I could sleep by you two and try to make it up to you eventually," She stuttered out quickly looking at Sorrelpaw.

Dropping their mice Willowpaw sat and started to naw on her meal right away. Sorrelpaw looked at the she-cat for a bit longer before sitting.

"Of course you can," She said softly.

Honeypaw purred and rubbed her muzzle across the she-cat's flank. Sorrelpaw gulped down her mouse while Willowpaw was cleaning her muzzle. They padded inside the den and saw a group of three empty nests. Willowpaw curled up next to the wall and Sorrelpaw curled up next to her. Feeling her pelt burn Willowpaw picked her head up and say the orange eyes of Berrypaw glaring at her from where he was curled up next to Tigerpaw. Flicking her ear at him she curled tighter into a ball as Honeypaw laid next to the two sisters. For the first time in a moon Willowpaw fell asleep quickly and stayed asleep.


End file.
